BRIDGEPORT -- As Election Day approaches, registrars in the state's largest city promised that voters will not be turned away by damage from Hurricane Sandy or a repeat of the poor planning that marred 2010's close gubernatorial contest.

"We have at least one and a half ballots per eligible voter," Bridgeport Democratic Registrar Sandi Ayala assured the Secretary of the State Friday, referring to 2010, when her office under-ordered ballots, delaying the final results of the gubernatorial election for several days.

"We will be swimming in ballots," Ayala said.

Bridgeport was the third and final stop on Secretary of the State Denise Merrill's tour of storm-ravaged Fairfield County to assess whether the area was ready to open the polls Tuesday. She met with Ayala, Mayor Bill Finch and with a deputy Republican registrar.

"I think we can assure a very smooth Election Day," Finch added, crediting United Illuminating, whose performance he criticized days earlier, for restoring power to the city's 24 polling locations.

Merrill spokesman Av Harris said Greenwich and Trumbull, which were also on Friday's itinerary, will be prepared as well.

The biggest question is how damage from Hurricane Sandy will impact turnout.

"I am worried about that," Merrill said, noting the tangle of downed trees blocking roads in Greenwich. "That makes a huge difference in people's sense of whether they want to go out and vote."

After Sandy had swept through, no city's election preparation had aroused more concern than Bridgeport's. The Democratic stronghold has in recent years played an important role in election outcomes, from Jim Himes' 2008 victory over veteran Republican U.S. Rep. Chris Shays, to Dannel Malloy's razor-thin triumph in 2010 over Republican Tom Foley in the gubernatorial race.

"I wanted to come down ... to see for myself exactly what the situation is," said Merrill, who has been communicating all week with municipal elections officials. "I'm feeling a lot better about it, personally."

Still, Merrill said the drive from Hartford to the southwestern Connecticut shoreline proved an eye-opener.

"Up in Hartford it looks like nothing happened," she said.

Ayala told Merrill that because of ongoing restoration efforts there should be only one change in polling locations. The site at Longfellow Elementary has been shifted to the nearby Aquaculture School due to water damage.

"So they (voters) don't have to go too far out of their way," Ayala said, adding post cards announcing the change were being mailed Friday.

Merrill noted utility companies are offering to provide generators to polling places that remain without electricity Tuesday, which she said avoids the confusion of last-minute moves.

Bridgeport's registrars have also contacted 95 percent of poll workers to confirm they are still available Tuesday and have staff going door-to-door trying to reach the remaining 5 percent. A training session has been scheduled for Saturday.